loginctl Command
Intermediate Systemd & Services man(1)Control the systemd login manager
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📅 Updated: Mar 15, 2026
SYNTAX
loginctl [COMMAND]
What Does loginctl Do?
loginctl manages user login sessions through systemd-logind. It shows active sessions, enables/disables user lingering, and controls seat and user management.
loginctl is useful for managing user sessions on multi-user servers, checking who is logged in, terminating sessions, and enabling services to run after user logout (linger).
User lingering (loginctl enable-linger) is particularly important for running user-level systemd services that need to persist after the user logs out.
loginctl is useful for managing user sessions on multi-user servers, checking who is logged in, terminating sessions, and enabling services to run after user logout (linger).
User lingering (loginctl enable-linger) is particularly important for running user-level systemd services that need to persist after the user logs out.
Options & Flags
| Option | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| list-sessions | Show active sessions | loginctl list-sessions |
| list-users | Show logged-in users | loginctl list-users |
| show-session | Show session details | loginctl show-session SESSION_ID |
| terminate-session | End a session | sudo loginctl terminate-session SESSION_ID |
| enable-linger | Allow user services after logout | sudo loginctl enable-linger username |
| disable-linger | Disable user lingering | sudo loginctl disable-linger username |
Practical Examples
#1 List sessions
Shows all active user sessions.
$ loginctl list-sessions
Output:
SESSION UID USER SEAT TTY\n 1 1000 admin pts/0
#2 List users
Shows all logged-in users.
$ loginctl list-users
Output:
UID USER\n1000 admin
#3 Terminate session
Ends a specific user session.
$ sudo loginctl terminate-session 3#4 Enable linger
Allows the deploy user to run services even when not logged in.
$ sudo loginctl enable-linger deploy#5 Session details
Shows detailed information about a session.
$ loginctl show-session 1Tips & Best Practices
Enable linger for user services: loginctl enable-linger user allows systemd user services to run after logout. Essential for background services running as non-root.
Session management: loginctl manages sessions at the systemd level. It is more powerful than killing processes manually.
terminate-session kills everything: Terminating a session kills ALL processes in that session. Save work first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I see who is logged in?
loginctl list-sessions shows all sessions. loginctl list-users shows unique users.
How do I kick a user off?
Find their session with list-sessions, then: sudo loginctl terminate-session SESSION_ID.
What is lingering?
Lingering allows a user to have systemd services running even when not logged in. Enable with: loginctl enable-linger user.
Related Commands
More Systemd & Services Commands
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